Governor Hochul Announces $45 Million in Funding For the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sector

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $45 million in grant awards through the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). Grants administered by NYSCA this year will provide critical aid to bolster nonprofit arts and culture organizations and artists as they embark on a dynamic multi-year recovery process.

In June 2021, NYSCA rolled out a reimagined grantmaking process to increase access to state funds through expanded eligibility that embraced a vast range of artmaking in New York State, and led to a nearly 40% increase in applications for FY2022 to date. Following a streamlined application process, the agency will continue to support those severely impacted by the ongoing effects of COVID-19 through flexible funding accommodations.

"The arts have long been a critical sector in our economy, and as we continue to rebuild a stronger New York, it's essential we do all we can help this industry thrive once again," Governor Hochul said. "These awardees represent the best of what New York's vibrant communities have to offer and with this funding in hand, they will be able to not only continue their creative and inspiring work, but help spur revitalization in their own backyard as well."

NYSCA's Round Three grants include Support for Organizations, Support for Artists, Special Opportunities, and Recovery Grants. All four categories of funding provide organizations and artists with vital dollars to boost their recovery process in response to the devastating economic impact of the last year and a half. More than 60% of NYSCA's FY2022 grantees have organizational budgets of $1 million or less.

NYSCA Executive Director Mara Manus said, "NYSCA would like to express our immense appreciation to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their responsive investment of $105 million for the arts during a time of profound economic need and hardship. Our goals for this transformative year included creating greater access, offering flexible funding solutions, and eliminating barriers to NYSCA's funding. Our extraordinary field's input has been instrumental in redeveloping our process. We are grateful for every artist, cultural worker, and organization for participating in our process as NYSCA continues to evolve and rise to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow."

NYSCA Chair Katherine Nicholls said, "Council would like to acknowledge the service of our 135 professional peer review panelists from across New York State. Their critical role in our grant making process, coupled with the stewardship of NYSCA's programs, and operations teams allowed the council to uphold recommendations in support of over 1,000 organizations. We recognize the importance of this funding to our grantees, and we look forward to experiencing their work in the coming months. This vibrant and vital creative sector attracts visitors from across the United States and around the world, and we are ready with open arms to welcome them back safely."

Round 3 Award Recipients Include:

Caroga Arts Collective, Mohawk Valley Region: Funding will support this interdisciplinary organization based in Caroga. Founded in 2016, the group typically presents over fifty performances and community events which focus on inter-arts collaborations among musicians, artists, scholars, and their communities. In 2020 all of Caroga Arts' events transitioned to virtual and socially distanced, which allowed them to maintain contact with their community and reach new audiences during the period of isolation.

Haiti Cultural Exchange (HCX), New York City Region: Funding will support programming that strives to increase knowledge and appreciation of Haitian culture among the general public, foster positive cultural identity among Haitian Americans, and cultivate a sense of community and civic engagement in NYC and beyond. One of HCX's Brooklyn-based programs, Lakou NOU, invites Haitian and Diaspora artists to participate in the public life of four Brooklyn neighborhoods that have been home to generations of Haitians and Haitian-Americans.

Ma-Yi Filipino Theater Ensemble, New York City Region: Funding will provide support to this organization that commissions, develops, and produces new plays written by Asian American Playwrights. The Ma-Yi Writers Lab encompasses 34 professional Asian American Playwrights as members and holds workshops and readings throughout the year. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, the organization established Ma-Yi Studios which develops original digital content for streaming.

The Arts Council for Wyoming County, Finger Lakes Region: Funding will provide the opportunity to commission Josh Rice as a Director for Kayfabe, an absurdist autobiographical puppet show, inspired by Roland Barthes and Samuel Beckett. The piece explores fantasy, reality & the spaces in-between, using Bunraku-style puppetry & the stylistic lens of professional wrestling.

White Pine Press, Western New York Region: Funding will support this nonprofit publisher of multicultural literature to develop and promote cultural awareness and understanding through the publication of literature that is overlooked by large publishing houses. White Pine Press publishes a broad range of literature by both emerging and established writers, including several Nobel laureates, as well as Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and American Book Award winners.

A full list of Round Three grantees is available here.

NYSCA's fourth and final round of funding, a $20 million Capital Projects opportunity is currently accepting applications. The application portal will close on January 14, 2022. More information is available here.